This freshman is fearless.
Hinano Bautista fired a four-hitter as No. 3 Mililani routed No. 2 Campbell 11-1 for a five-inning, TKO win on a cloudy, cool evening at Tiger Softball Stadium.
The win lifted the Lady Trojans into sole possession of first place in the rugged OIA West. Mililani (10-1) has one game remaining against Kapolei, on Saturday. Campbell (9-2) will visit Nanakuli on Tuesday.
Mililani clinched a first-round bye with the win. The top two teams in the West earn byes in the OIA Division I playoffs.
“I feel good. I’m very proud of them, of how they played and stuck together. It was a complete game for us. We never had this type of game yet this season,” Mililani coach Rose Antonio said. “Campbell’s a good team. It’s a couple of games now that Hinano’s gotten the start. We’re trying to get as much pitching in for her and our other pitchers. She’s a very good player. Positive attitude and poised. Great energy. I think (coach) Walter (Ka‘aihili) mixed it up well. In the beginning of the season she was a closer for us.”
The Trojans were in bomb-squad mode with four home runs. Taryn Hirano, Makayla Pagampao, Kaui Garcia and Bautista each launched a homer for the Lady Trojans. It could have been five taters if not for a magnificent catch at the center field fence by Campbell outfielder Kayla Whaley, who was injured on the play.
“In practice, we hit a lot (of home runs), but I think this is the first time I’ver ever seen so many,” Bautista said.
Bautista was in command of all five of her pitches — fastball, riser, changeup, curve and screwball. There weren’t any jitters playing under the lights, or before a statewide TV audience, for the freshman.
“Maybe a little butterflies in the beginning, but no, we don’t really mind the cameras. We’re just ourselves being funny and hilarious,” Bautista said. “I’m the fun one on the team. I can be silly, but when it comes to the games and practices, I’m ready.”
Campbell won the first meeting between the teams, 11-9, on March 16 in a night-time battle also held at McKinley’s facility.
The Lady Trojans struck almost instantly at game time. Leadoff hitter Hirano lined an 0-1 pitch over the right field fence to give Mililani a 1-0 lead. Mililani got two runners on base with two outs, but pitcher Kaienna Fuentes-Arellano retired Pagampao on a towering infield pop-up.
The Trojans chased Fuentes-Arellano in the top of the third inning. Kamyrn Aoki led off with a single, and with one out stole second base. On the next pitch, Kolbi Kochi lined an opposite-field single to right field, scoring Aoki for a 2-0 Mililani lead.
Campbell’s second pitcher, Kaira Sakai, retired Jerrell Mailo on a pop-up for the second out, but Pagampao bombed a 1-0 fastball high and beyond the center field fence. That boosted the Trojans’ lead to 4-0.
With Bautista in cruise control, the Trojans broke the game open with six more runs in the top of the fourth, powered by two home runs. Tanela Simanu led off with a single, and Bautista followed with a single. Hirano’s single to left scored Simanu from second base. Aoki followed with what appeared to be a bad-hop single to left, but courtesy runner Kaylie Kihara was ruled out for runner’s interference.
The next batter, Garcia, swatted a three-run homer to center field, opening the lead to 8-0. Whaley had a chance to make a difficult play as she retreated, but the ball popped out of her glove as she crashed into the fence. She was injured on the play but remained in the game.
Fuentes-Arellano returned to the pitcher’s circle, walked Kochi, then surrendered a home run to center by Mailo. The Trojans led 10-0.
Opportunity arrived for Campbell in the bottom of the fourth. Nanea Pantastico and Sophie Alo singled, and Breena Malama walked to load the bases with two outs. Fuentes-Arellano then fouled off four pitches with a two-strike count before finally drawing a walk from Bautista. Quinn Waiki, who had reached base on a fielder’s choice, scored from third base.
Bautista then got Keyra Moses-Fuller to pop out, ending the inning.
The southpaw then capped her night with a solo home run over the center field in the top of the fifth inning. The next batter, Hirano, sent a fly ball to left that tailed into foul ground, where Campbell left fielder Joy Freitas made a spectacular diving catch near the fence. Two batters later, Garcia walloped a deep fly ball that Whaley managed to catch as she flipped over the center field fence. Whaley was injured again, this time unable to rise to her feet for several minutes.
At Tiger Softball Stadium
Mililani (10-1) 103 61 — 11 12 0
Campbell (9-2) 000 10 — 1 4 0
Hinano Bautista and Kaui Garcia. Kaienna Fuentes-Arellano, Kaira Sakai (3), Fuentes-Arellano (5) and Breena Malama. W—Bautista. L—Fuentes-Arellano.
Leading hitters—Mil: Taryn Hirano 2-4, HR, 2 RBIs, 2 runs; Kamryn Aoki 2-4, 2 runs, SB; Kaui Garcia 1-3, HR, 3 RBIs, run, walk; Kolbi Kochi 1-2, RBI, 2 runs, walk; Jerrell Mailo 2-3, HR, 2 RBIs, run; Makayla Pagampao 1-3, HR, 2 RBIs, run; Bautista 2-2, HR, RBI, run, walk. Cam: Quinn Waiki 1-2, run.
